As co-chair of the Women’s March on Washington, Sarsour become the object of hate for Islamophobes. Immediately after her widely-praised speech last January, where she called herself “unapologetically Palestinian-American,” Sarsour’s visible persona was the source of resentment for those who seek to marginalize our community and preclude us from exercising our rights and responsibilities in American public life.

Palestinian Americans and Americans involved in Palestine-related activism must live with the ubiquitous threat of a character smear if they speak out against the Israeli government or the oppression of the Palestinians.

Attacks against Sarsour became more unhinged after the City University of New York invited her to deliver a commencement address to the graduating class. Demonstrating that Sarsour’s very identity was the source of the bigoted assault, the New York Times reported, “A Muslim-American Activist’s Speech Raises Ire Even Before It’s Delivered.” Rallied up by New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind – a former supporter of the Jewish Defense League (JDL) – numerous far-right agitators hurled death threats at Sarsour including, “A good Arab is a dead Arab.”

For decades, anti-Arab forces have sought to push our community aside. In the past, these forces have even used violence to silence community leaders, such as ADC’s West Coast Director Alex Odeh who was assassinated by the JDL in 1985. In 2001, JDL partisans were apprehended trying to blow up the offices of Arab-American Congressman Darrell Issa. And in March, JDL thugs violently attacked an elderly Palestinian man at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Washington D.C.

Now, once again, Sarsour is coming under attack after delivering a public address to the Islamic Society of North America where she related the Hadith that “A word of truth in front of a tyrant ruler or leader, that is the best form of jihad” and encouraged her audience to undertake the “jihad” of standing up for our rights against the Trump administration. To any fair minded individual, Sarsour’s use of the term “jihad” was obvious and innocuous. Naturally, far-right websites and media organizations ignored the very context and scripted false headlines accusing Sarsour of waging Jihad against President Trump. The willfully dishonest defamation of Sarsour has become a popular cause on the far-right. However, regardless of their efforts, they will not be able to silence an “unapologetic Palestinian-American.”

ADC condemns the bigoted attacks against Sarsour. These attacks go beyond any honest exception to Sarsour’s advocacy and seek to deny the inalienable rights enjoined by all Americans to free speech simply because of her ethnic and religious background and identity.

We will not stand silent in the face of such un-American attacks from the most disreputable of sources. This is why ADC exists: To defend our rights as Arab-Americans, to defend our heritage, and to uphold our standing in the American public square. Today, and every day, we stand with Linda Sarsour and all Arab-Americans fighting for a more tolerant, inclusive and just America.

To the people propagating these false accusations about Sarsour: Your hatred, your bigotry, and your envy does not threaten our excellence.

The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) is excited to host a conversation with Roger Waters on his support for the cultural boycott of Israel and Palestinians’ rights.

Roger Waters is an English rock musician, singer-songwriter, and composer. He is best known as the bass player, co-lead vocalist, lyricist and the principal songwriter in the rock band Pink Floyd.

The conversation will be facilitated by Noura Erakat, a Palestinian human rights attorney and activist.

We are honoured to host Roger Waters for this conversation, and hope you can join us!

We will broadcast live from the Palestinian BDS National Committee’s Facebook page. Tune in on Saturday, July 15 at 5pm GMT / 12pm CDT for an hour-long conversation with one of today’s leading musicians.

Big news! Minutes ago, the Mennonite Church (USA) voted to create an investment screen for the purpose of “withdrawing investments from companies that are profiting from the occupation.” The resolution was approved near unanimously, with approximately 98% of the 548 voters supporting it. Click here to say thank you to the Mennonites!

The comprehensive resolution lifts up the rights of Palestinian refugees, citizens of Israel, and those living under occupation, calling for an end to U.S. military aid; urging church agencies and members to review their own investments; and encouraging individuals and congregations boycott products associated with violence or military occupation; among other things.

This is the largest margin yet by which such a vote has passed in a U.S. denominational assembly. Congratulations to US Campaign member group Mennonite Palestine Israel Network (MennoPIN), who led this extraordinary initiative!

With this vote, the Mennonite Church (USA) joins the fast-growing list of denominations that have engaged in economic acts of conscience in recent years to support justice for Palestinians, including the Quakers, United Methodists, Presbyterians, United Church of Christ, Unitarian Universalists, Catholic Conference of Major Superiors of Men, the Alliance of Baptists, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The US Campaign was proud to support this crucial effort alongside several Palestinian friends, leaders, and organizations; and member groups Friends of Sabeel – North America, Jewish Voice for Peace, and the American Friends Service Committee.

I have been on the ground at the Mennonite Church USA convention here in Orlando, Florida with MennoPIN, working around the clock supporting their preparations, talking with delegates, providing strategic support, bringing lessons learned from the many church votes that came before this one, and speaking at delegate receptions.

But I couldn’t have been here without people like you investing in the US Campaign’s critical role in connecting, strengthening, resourcing, and lifting up amazing member group-led initiatives and successes like this.

The Netherlands has lodged a complaint with the Israeli government after dozens of Dutch solar panels donated to a West Bank village were confiscated by Israeli authorities.

The hybrid diesel and solar power electricity system was installed last year in remote Jubbet al-Dhib, a village home to 150 people in an area of the West Bank occupied by Israel.

The panels were not built with proper permits and permissions, the authorities said, confiscating equipment belonging to the £307,000 humanitarian project last week.

Critics points out that building permissions for new Palestinian homes and infrastructure are almost impossible to obtain.

The village mayor told Palestinian outlet Ma’an News that the panels were destroyed, although Comet-ME, the aid organisation which installed the panels, said that between 60 and 90 were taken away intact and other equipment at the site destroyed and left behind by Israeli forces.

The Dutch Foreign Ministry has asked for the equipment to be returned to Jubbet al-Dhib and is considering what “next steps can be taken”, according to a report in Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz published on Saturday.

The issue has sparked anger both in the Dutch government and in the Palestinian territories over how it was handled.

Cogat, the Israeli military agency responsible for coordinating Israeli policy in Palestinian areas, said that several work-stop orders were issued before the day of the raid. Villagers maintain that they did not know the site had been targeted until Israel Defence Force (IDF) soldiers showed up.

Of particular note is that Jubbet al-Dhib is very close to Israeli outpost villages – settlements illegal under both Israeli and international law – which enjoy a full connection to the main power grid.

Cogat said in a statement that the village had “other electricity sources” other than the “illegal electricity room”. Haaretz said that before the solar panel system was installed, the 150 residents relied on a couple of “old and noisy” diesel generators for three hours of power a day.

More than 300 structures in the occupied West Bank demolished by the Israeli authorities in 2016 were at least in part funded by the EU or international NGOs, an Israeli military official said earlier this year.

Last year also saw the highest number of Israeli demolitions of Palestinian structures since rights groups began records.